[LeeCatchum]

Looking for opinions on rods in the 7-9wt range that are good at casting long-bellied lines. I currently have a Sage 6120-3 with a 5/6 WC and a Sage 9140-4 with a 8/9/10 WC. Have had input on another thread that I should not use long-bellied lines on my 9140. Am interested in learning to cast long lines and willing to buy another rod to do it. An while we're at it, has anbody cast an Albright rod? Cast a 5/6 single hander at the shop in Grants Pass and was impressed. The pricepoint on the rods is very low and they also make speys.

Thanks - Lee

 

[MJC]

Howdy Lee,
I'm surely not against you buying another rod but I would try some different lines first. Have you tried an Airflo Traditional or an XLT on your Sage 9140? I think the CND Expert 1409 works very nicely with an 8/9 Airflo Traditional and it is priced very nicely at
$375.00.

 

[kush]

Lee,

I agree with MJC on both accounts, but I think that a line like the Airflo Traditional would do fine on a 9140-4. It is a smooth casting line and its belly is not really too long. I know I've used them on the CND Experts and they cast sweetly.

The issue with the 9140-4, is primarily that it doesn't have alot of reserve power and it is easy to "overload" it. I don't think it would necessarily blow-up, but it would more likely just collapse under the strain of a heavier long belly line. If you are interested in longer distances with a long belly line, then maybe a new rod with more reserve power is in order.

 

[Philster]

Have to agree with Kush on 9140-4, at least the original brownie. Having recently traded mine for a Flylogic 1409, I'm amazed at the difference in power. There were times in really fast water when the 9140-4 just couldn't pull off a single spey with a whole 8/9 midspey with my casting skill. The fly just wouldn't get upstream of me. After 3 trips with the Flylogic, if my anchor point is bad, it's because I did something wrong, not because the rod just couldn't lift and throw the line.

I know there are 9140-4 fans out there, and I hope they don't get too upset with what I'm saying.

 

[macspey]

Wulff TT

Lee-
I was about to part with my ole 9140-4 brownie a while ago, then I tried a Wulff TT 8 one day. Wow, the rod came alive! It's still not my rod of choice these days, but I like the combo well enough to keep it handy for calm days on medium water. I really like the way Wulff lines fish, too. Might be worth a try before you dump the rod. Jes my .02...
Cheers
macspey aka john

 

[Philster]

Hey Macspey

Once again, not looking to start trouble, but statements like "as long as" always seem to crop up with the 9140-4. As long as the wind isn't blowing. As long as conditions are ideal. As long as ... If you can only own one rod, it shouldn't be an "as long as" rod. As long as rods are great if you are going to own multiple rods.

My Derek Brown favorite is great "as long as" you are willing to throw long belly lines.

My sage 9126-3 is great "as long as" you are willing to throw lines under 60 feet. Preferably 40 to 50 feet.

Nothing wrong with "as long as" rods. As long as you already own one you can grab regardless of conditions

 

[doublespey]

Every Rod "As Long As"

My .02

There's no such thing as an "all-around" spey rod. Maybe the closest I've seen is the CND Custom 1409 or Steelhead Specialist
Can cast short or long bellys easily, handle many different line weights, and do well with sinktips.

AS LONG AS I'm not fishing a small river. Anybody want to fish these on the Grande Ronde?? You can - but that's like killing mosquitos with a shotgun IMO. You're always going to sacrifice Something!


The 9140-4 is a fine rod with this TT Spey #8 line. Said that 2 or more years ago when everyone was whining 'cause it had no backbone. Most of the whiners were throwing the standard flyshop-issue 9-10-11 WindCutters on it and never thought to try another, lighter line.

There are many rods I wouldn't want to cast in the wind, the 9140-4 and 7136-4 definitely among them. But the rods I ~do~ choose to cast in the wind probably wouldn't be the ones I'd choose on a calm quiet day on a summer river in late August.

If you overload any rod from that generation - even the popular 8150, 7136-4, or my favorite the 9140-3 - they become dogs.

And if Sage had marketed this rod for summer-floating line fishing with light tip use, there would never have been the backlash that's occured because of the package sales with the WindCutter 9-10-11 Multi-Tip. There would be as many residual fans as there are for the 7136-4 and 8150-4 brownies.

 

[Philster]

Hey doublespey

Like I said, sorry to 9140-4 fans. I agree with you, if you have a number of rods to choose from having one you only cast "on a calm quiet day on a summer river in late August" is a great option.

By all-around rod, I of course don't mean "perfect for everything"

Sometimes it might be a bit heavy. Sometimes it might be a bit light. But it should never limit you from being able to achieve within 20% of your normal casting/presentation ability in all but the most extreme conditions. "I wish this rod had 10 more feet in it" is an acceptable complaint when you normally cast sixty five and you can only push it out 50 due to conditions. "I wish I could f***ing get my fly out 40 feet" isn't.

P.S. I read your post way back when, and started throwing an older TT8/9 spey on my 9140-4. it was great, especially on calm quiet days on a summer river in late August :devil:

 

[Hammer]

the guy things

when i rode dirtbikes,,the last time i got into em' was the late 80's,,,awesome suspension had taken over,,the looong rods had arrived!,,well ,guess the rest of the story,ended up with [email protected]$$$$ ,when i started out,i was asking ;who's got all the single shocker's?,but, i ended up getting picky;this bike for this ride ,etc.etc.,,,so like any hobby,one MUST apply oneself,,,so much info,tackle,,,seems like you're either,IN or,wanting in,once you get IN,,,well,,,you're gone,,or `fish on',,gee,like the sound of thAT,i wish i could cast ALL the rods out there,,,,but like the motorbike thing,never will be able to! ,i'm still wanting longer rods than what i have ,,,seems they're what's driving me ,,,either super short for the boat or 35 ft'rs,,,things were simpler,,but,not nearly as much fun,hey ,,post it as a vote !,,i'm sure curious,,what is the FAV.size????,i'll do it:hehe:and ,,killing mosquitos with a shotgun is a blast!!!

 

[Dr. Swing]

Hammer, lay off the coffee :devil:

 

[Hammer]

demons everywhere!

actually it's cabin fever,,been treating the illness with golden demons,,from the Rockies!!,or maybe the car talk on another thread,,chasing those demons away!!!:hehe: